A new version of the Android app to watch ITV's online telly is now available - exclusively for Samsung gadgets.

But eager viewers with or without Sammy gear may want to stick with the earlier build of the ITV Player software until the bugs are squashed.

The app exclusive lasts until the end of August, and applies to the new Android client from the broadcaster, which has a whizzy interface and better video scaling than the existing version.

However, in El Reg's limited testing on a Sammy tablet, it appears to lack the ability to play any video - which some might consider critical. Your mileage may vary.

Not that Samsung's breathless press release mentions any earlier version, implying a rather more comprehensive exclusive:

SAMSUNG ENTERS EXCLUSIVE PARTNERSHIP WITH ITV TO MAKE ITV PLAYER APP AVAILABLE ON DEVICES

Android app available exclusively to Samsung customers until 31 August 2013

...proclaims the release, in Samsung's trademark capital letters...

Samsung Mobile today announced it has entered an exclusive fixed term partnership with ITV to offer the new ITV Player app on its Android devices. Available now and exclusive to Samsung customers until 31 August, the ITV Player app will provide access to the last thirty days of ITV’s catch-up.

The key word here is "new", as the old ITV Player app was launched onto Android two years ago - even if the interface leaves something to be desired and the video playback scales rather oddly on some devices.

In fact it seems that supporting the fragmented Android ecosystem is what's pushed ITV into the deal with Samsung, as ITV's online product director explains:

The fragmentation of the Android ecosystem is well known. Therefore, as a commercial broadcaster, it makes sense for us to partner with the leading manufacturer of Android devices to further increase our technical knowledge of the operating system.

Hopefully they'll sort out the bugs on Samsung devices too. Testing the app on a Note 10.1, we get to experience the new interface in all its glory, and very nice it is too, but try to play a show and it freezes, while a Motorola running the old client works fine. ®